Beekeeping apps

[rbpjenkins]

Hi, this will be my first year keeping bees and this is my first post on the forum. Apologies if I have missed previous answers when I searched but does anyone have experiences to share on using phone apps for various beekeeping activities?

There seem to be some pretty sophisticated things on offer and plenty of articles recommending different Apps but I'm just thinking about a simple inspection tracking capability

thanks
Rob

[Alfred]

Clipboard , pencil and notepaper would be advisable for now as you will have enough on your plate.
There are plenty of inspection record sheets available freely online .

[NigelP]

I keep a main set of paper records at homer and update after apiary visit. As Alfred advices....metal clip board, pencil attached by string and piece of paper. If you use your phone cleaning the propolis off afterwards will probably take longer than transferring the data to your home records.
For me the main entry needs to be reason for inspection. I.E. 1st inspection after winter, checking progress, checking for swarming activity.
2nd entry should be queenright (queen seen, eggs seen).
3rd entry are queen cells present.
4th entry sufficient stores (including pollen )...after that it's up to you how complicated or simple you make it.
Apps just don't cut the mustard.
Many use things like like notes in hive roof to know what to do next.

[Cable_Fairy]

Agree with both Nigel and Alfred, just look at your gloves after an inspection, that is what your phone will look like, and you will never get it really clean.

[Alfred]

If you really can't manage an hour without gadgets then take a battery powered pencil sharpener

[AdamD]

Welcome to the forum.
I too use paper and pencil/biro.
Some time ago when at the association apiary, they kept cards under each hive roof which probably works when you don't know who is going to inspect a colony.
For my first year or two I used a note-book - something similar to a school excercise book. Once colony numbers increased, then I took to using a record sheet for each hive which I keep in a ring binder. The problem with this is if left open and the wind blows, the pages can flap about and potentially get blown free.
Occasionally I will make verbal notes in my 'phone if I can't find a pen.

[rbpjenkins]

Thanks all for the replies.

I completely take the point about the practicality of phone VS sticky gloves!

To be clear though I'm not a teenager reluctant to disconnect, quite the contrary, part of the attraction of beekeeping is escaping the connected world and I definitely want to learn from first principles, observing and thinking, I'm not looking for short cuts

However, I'm shockingly bad at keeping paperwork organised and I would think there has to be merit in a device that knows: time, place, date, weather, can take photos and even apply analysis to things like a verroa board photo for a count and can store it all securely

I'll stick to tried and tested pencil and paper. If I try transferring data to an app I will report back if any look like being any use

thanks
Rob

[Alfred]

Well done.
I'm the same with paperwork so I just do the whole apiary on both sides of an A4 noting status and any changes I've made on that date.
The varroa board is not highly accurate forwarding load btw so watching for malady outside your treatment programmes can be more beneficial

[MickBBKA]

I use a big old A4 book, I note Date, Queen, Brood 1, Brood 2, Super, Notes.
I have records for 11 years. In that time I have lost 2 mobiles and my wife put a 3rd through a wash cycle. I still have records for 11 years in my A4 books.
Just say'n.....

[rbpjenkins]

I use a big old A4 book, I note Date, Queen, Brood 1, Brood 2, Super, Notes.
I have records for 11 years. In that time I have lost 2 mobiles and my wife put a 3rd through a wash cycle. I still have records for 11 years in my A4 books.
Just say'n.....

I'd hope any app wouldn't be storing locally on your phone, it's in the app, in the cloud so always stored although I guess you'd need to download data and store yourself if you want to stop using the app so there is an element of 'Hotel California' - you can check in but you can;t leave